


Be Okay

by botanicalTJ



Series: boys loving boys [5]
Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Boyfriends, Crying, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, once again i put darry through hell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:48:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25477195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/botanicalTJ/pseuds/botanicalTJ
Summary: Darry slips quietly into bed late at night.
Relationships: Darrel Curtis/Tim Shepard
Series: boys loving boys [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1796422
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	Be Okay

**Author's Note:**

> this is for kip i love u kip

Tim woke up when he felt a breeze against his legs. It was slightly disorienting, because he'd fallen asleep fully wrapped up in the sheets to guard against how cold Darry kept his room. It couldn't have been long since he'd laid down in the first place, but rain was hitting the window glass at a steady pace where it hadn't been before. He opened his eyes, realization creeping over him when he saw Darry settling into bed beside him.

"Hey," he muttered, voice barely above a whisper from the sleep that stuck to his throat. He threw an arm over the other man and drew him close, so that Darry's head could fall on his chest and they could sleep properly in the position they always did. "Are you just now comin' to bed?" 

"Yeah." Darry snuggled up against him, his body still rigid under Tim's hands like he wasn't quite prepared to fall asleep yet. "Bills." He pushed his head up under Tim's chin and snaked his arms around his waist, pressing himself as close as possible.

Tim smoothed the covers over Darry's back, effectively covering up his own legs again, and leaned his chin against the top of the other's head. When he went to bed earlier, he'd figured the other would join him in an hour or so, maybe less than that. But it was apparent now that he'd been asleep for awhile, judging by the grogginess that still clung to his brain. "I missed you," was all he could think to murmur, even though he really wanted to ask why it had taken so long and why Darry's whole aura was just... _ off _ . He settled for rubbing his boyfriend's back, hoping to lull him into a more relaxed state.

"Sorry." Darry's whispered apology came with a kiss to Tim's jaw, his lips hovering in place longer than the few seconds necessary for it. "Dozed off at the table."

Tim frowned and pulled him closer, just barely because they were already so pressed up against each other. It was unspoken, usually, how Darry's normal schedule wore against him like river water beating against rocks. It smoothed him down sometimes to a body that felt hollow, like his mind had slipped out of it and gone off to recover elsewhere. It was an unspoken fact of their lives, of their relationship. But that didn't mean he felt any better seeing the evidence of it.

"I might take a couple days off work this week." Darry spoke up again before Tim could say a word. It was enough to make his eyes snap open and his gaze drop down, his brow furrowing. It was one thing for Darry to admit he needed a break, but it was another for it to go into place so suddenly. Darry wasn't even looking at him, though; his eyes were closed.

"Just need to relax?" Tim said tentatively, drawing the covers up higher so he could properly wrap his arms around the other's body. He knew it made Darry feel more secure when they laid like that, if only judging by how much easier it was to draw an emotion or two out of him when they were locked together in the safety of the darkness. Something told him this wasn't a problem that could be solved by a weekend's worth of doing household chores like he always did on his days off.

"Yeah." Darry swallowed as he said it, but only a moment passed before he suddenly shook his head. He tightened his arms around Tim's waist and tilted his face down, so there was no way their eyes could meet even if they wanted them to. "No, uh... there's somethin' else," he mumbled, exhaling through his nose. "I got called into the boss's office today, and... they're cuttin' my hours, Tim."

An icy silence, a wet blanket draping over their bodies. Tim was no longer the slightest bit tired, his eyes wide open and stricken above Darry's head. He couldn't know for sure, but he would've bet money on the possibility that Darry felt it too, the same chill that he did at the few simple words. Words that meant more than just a couple unscheduled days off.

And all too soon, the tension burst like a popped bubble and Tim felt a dampness in the front of his shirt that was right where Darry's eyes were pressed against him. He didn't say anything, didn't acknowledge it except to card his fingers through the unkept, tired strands of hair atop Darry's head. His boyfriend, his sweet boy didn't make a sound; and then it was over, with a sniffle and a quick swipe of the hand against his cheeks. Like it had never even started. "I don't know what I'm gonna do, Tim," he whispered, once again hiding his eyes. The only indication of emotion in his voice was the very slight waver, and if it had been anyone but Tim, it would've gone unnoticed. "I might have to look for a third job."

Tim winced at the mere idea; Darry's life was hectic enough with the two jobs he had without trying to add another one into the mix. It exhausted him to even think about. "Hey," he sighed, smoothing his palm over his boyfriend's head in a soothing, rhythmic motion. "We'll figure it out. You've got money in savings, yeah? I can ask around about jobs..." He was also willing to slip some extra cash here and there into Darry's wallet, but that part didn't need to be said out loud.

He didn't get a response, but instead Darry moved his arms so they were wrapped around Tim's shoulders instead of his waist. His face tucked itself into Tim's neck and he just laid there, breathing deeply, letting himself be comforted for once without making a big deal about it. Letting Tim hold him and reassure him without trying to argue why he shouldn't. And maybe it was because of the exhaustion written all over his features from the moment he slid into bed, but Tim was grateful for the moment.

"You let me know which days you're gonna be home," Tim whispered into his hair, pressing his lips to Darry's forehead between his sentences. "And we'll do something, alright? I'll take you out for the day."

A nod into his neck against his neck. Another sniffle. "Sure."

"We'll pack lunch, maybe." Tim was making plans by the second now, not even thinking about the words before they left his mouth, but Darry was quiet and nodding along and that was enough to keep him going. "I'll take you out by the lake, where they set up those picnic tables? And we can get ice cream."

It was a fairytale sort of date, nothing like what they usually did; lunches grabbed between shifts, Tim riding along in the passenger seat of Darry's truck while they ran errands, Darry leaving a hot breakfast on the table for him with a hastily written note proclaiming his affections. They didn't have time for more than that. But even though the circumstances were a hard pit in Tim's stomach, for the sake of his boyfriend's health, they might as well take advantage of the silver lining.

Darry had relaxed under his touch as he spoke, and now Tim was holding him to his chest, tightly and protectively but also in a way that let him press kisses against the other's cheeks. "I'm okay, and you're okay," he murmured, shifting to settle against the pillows in a way that would hold them both comfortably through the night. "We're okay. I'm here." 

Darry inhaled a deep breath, then let it out slowly. His eyes flicked up, like he couldn't stand to tear them away from Tim's face right above them, but then they fluttered shut in a moment away from peace. "Okay," he more breathed than whispered, leaving his eyes closed this time as he settled into Tim's arms. "I believe you."

"I love you," Tim watched him for a second, made sure he was really, truly slipping into relaxation, then allowed his own eyes to shut. "so much.

"I love you, too." 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading i hope it was good :)


End file.
